Benton County, Washington
Benton County is a county located in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. The Columbia River makes up the north, south, and east boundaries of the county. As of the 2010 census, its population was 175,177. The county seat is Prosser, and its largest city is Kennewick. It was named after Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton. Benton County was created out of Klickitat County and Yakima County on March 8, 1905. Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (3.24%) is water. Adjacent counties *Grant County, Washington - north *Franklin County, Washington - northeast *Walla Walla County, Washington - east *Umatilla County, Oregon - south/southeast *Morrow County, Oregon - south/southwest *Klickitat County, Washington - west/southwest *Yakima County, Washington - west National protected area * Hanford Reach National Monument (part) * Saddle Mountain National Wildlife Refuge (part) * Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge (part) Wineries The area of south-central Washington occupied by Benton County has been known primarily as an agricultural hub since its settlement by white Americans. The rise of viticulture has had a profound impact on the agricultural and tourism industries over the past two decades, and has in many ways reshaped the reputation of the region. Geographic features *Columbia River *Yakima River Sites of interest *Hanford Nuclear Reservation *Toyota Center *Columbia Center Mall *Columbia Park, Kennewick Major highways * Interstate 82 * Interstate 182 * U.S. Route 12 * U.S. Route 395 * Washington State Route 14 * Washington State Route 240 Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 142,475 people, 52,866 households, and 38,063 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile (32/km²). There were 55,963 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.25% White, 0.93% Black or African American, 0.82% Native American, 2.20% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 7.01% from other races, and 2.69% from two or more races. 12.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.1% were of German, 11.0% English, 9.1% United States or American and 8.4% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 86.4% spoke English and 10.3% Spanish as their first language. There were 52,866 households out of which 38.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.60% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 23.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.17. In the county, the population was spread out with 29.70% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.30 males. The median income for a household in the county was $47,044, and the median income for a family was $54,146. Males had a median income of $45,556 versus $27,232 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,301. About 7.80% of families and 10.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.30% of those under age 18 and 6.90% of those age 65 or over. Cities *Benton City (3,145) *Kennewick (74,665) *Prosser (5,780) *Richland (49,090) *West Richland (12,200) Other census-recognized communities *Finley (6,012) *Highland (3,388) Other communities *Kiona *Paterson *Plymouth *Whitstran Ghost towns *Hanford (depopulated in March 1943) *White Bluffs (depopulated in March 1943) See also *National Register of Historic Places listings in Benton County, Washington References Further reading * Available online through the Washington State Library's Classics in Washington History collection External links * Benton County (official website) * East Benton County Historical Museum Category:Counties of Washington (state) Category:Benton County, Washington Category:Established in 1905 Category:Tri-Cities, Washington